Various methods and systems for enhancing the sound of stringed instruments have been developed throughout history. Additionally, various configurations of stringed instruments have been devised, for instance varying the number of strings on an instrument, varying the tuning method or scheme, or varying the size of the instrument itself. More recently, tremolo bars, also known as whammy bars, have been developed to allow an electric guitar player to create vibrato and/or otherwise alter the pitch of the strings by manually manipulating a lever arm on the guitar body. In the prior art, whammy bar installation involved significant modification to the body of a guitar, including routing and drilling of an electric guitar's otherwise solid body.
Examples of such systems and other related systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 490,528; 2,565,253; 3,248,991; 3,563,126; 4,135,426; 4,248,126; 4,334,454; 4,385,543; 4,430,919; 4,457,201; 4,487,100; 4,655,116; 4,688,461; 4,742,750; 4,768,414; 4,843,941; 4,882,967; 4,939,971; 4,951,543; 5,052,260; 5,171,927; 5,260,505; 5,271,307; 5,672,835; 6,372,971; 6,521,819; 6,765,137; 6,812,389; 6,822,156; 6,881,882; 6,884,932; 7,045,693; 7,189,908; 7,327,109; 7,351,895; and D521,047. The complete disclosures of the above patents and other publications referenced hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.